Structural and non-structural

cracks you might find in Perth -

a home building inspection
perspective
Minor cracking and foundation movement will occur in a significant
proportion of buildings, particularly those on the Perth reactive clays. In most
cases, this cracking that appears on your walls is not a structural concerns and
does not mean that the structural integrity of your home is affected. Crack
widths and depths should be monitored where these is a concerns. If you have
any concerns it is recommended that a professional structural engineer is
appointed to carry out an investigation and to provide a structural report.
Cracking is expected in reinforced concrete since it shrinks on hardening.
Cracks can arise for many reasons including thermal movements, foundation
movement and loads. Reinforcement that rusts will also cause cracking.
Understanding the site conditions and the soil classification is important in
assessing house walls cracks. Structural defects affect the mechanical
behaviour of the construction element [1]. Structural defects can also affect
some or all of the non-structural materials. It is therefore important to
understand and consider the interaction between these types of materials to
prevent the defects.
Common masonry structural defects in Perth include:
 cracking due to the settlement of foundations, excessive loading and
deformations and other effects (creep, shrinkage and thermal);
 local crushing due to high compressive loads;
 corrosion of metallic elements or chemical reactions.
And the most common masonry non-structural defects are:
 undesired changes in the physical properties of the materials due to the
presence of water/humidity thus affecting the durability, aesthetics and
the environmental conditions of the buildings or building elements;
 cracking in non-structural elements.
Settlement home cracking
Settlement cracking in Perth homes occurs in buildings when a loaded
foundation experience a vertical movement. This may occur due to dead loads,
changes in moisture content, undermining or inadequate site preparation and
compaction.
Moisture related movements
The volume of absorbent materials such as bricks changes with the increase
or decrease of moisture and these changes can be reversible or irreversible.
Bricks begin to absorb moisture immediately after firing This moisture
expansion occurs mostly in the first few weeks or months after production.
Shrinkage and creep
Shrinkage is the amount by which the material gets smaller. For example, the
reduction in the dimensions of timber after loss of moisture or for concrete
the relative change in dimensions with time. Concrete shrinks over a long
period during hardening and if it is restrained tensile stresses can develop.
In simple terms, creep in a material such as concrete or timber is a permanent
deformation over time. Creep develops due to gradual increasing strain and
deformation of the material under constant load. At low temperatures
concrete will creep under load. As an example, a retaining wall holding an
embankment may creep if the clay shrinks each year during drought and the
cracks fill up with debris and then the clay swell when wet.
Movement joints
Vertical and horizontal movement joints (such as brick control joints) need to
be detailed in masonry in order to accommodate the above mentioned
movements. The required location and thickness of those joints will depend
on the building geometry, masonry material properties, and expected
differential movements.
In most cases, vertical expansions joints are not needed in concrete masonry
since drying shrinkage usually exceeds thermal expansion. However, in clay
brick masonry, vertical and horizontal expansion joints need to be used as the
clay masonry walls expand in both directions due to the combination of
thermal and moisture expansion.
When cracks appear in the walls of your home it is recommended that you
contact a professional structural engineer with expertise to undertake a
building inspection and determine the causes of visible damage. A homeowner
should refer to the CSIRO pamphlet, Building Technology File 18, Foundation
maintenance and footing performance: A homeowner’s guide, and its
recommendations should be followed (this guide covers many of the aspects
related to foundation maintenance and the performance of walls).
As with any home purchase, be sure to get a thorough pre-purchase building
inspection to see whether the house needs any repairs (blog image courtesy of
Long Beach Real Estate). If you have any questions, get in touch with one of
our structural engineers to discuss your requirements in Perth or the South
West and to obtain a free quote.